edith piaf Tagged Articles at Cinematical
Review: La Vie en rose
Filed under: Drama », Foreign Language », New Releases », Theatrical Reviews », San Francisco International Film Festival »
The singer Edith Piaf (1915-1963) was a unique soul, as beloved in France as much as, say, Elvis Presley was in the U.S. She had an unusual stage presence, almost mousy and withdrawn, but forceful in her voice; the effect was one of breaking out of her shell, and audiences connected with her. Her haunting voice is probably familiar to many Americans, as her songs continue to turn up as atmosphere in American movies, everything from Bull Durham (1988) to Saving Private Ryan (1998), Bernardo Bertolucci's The Dreamers (2003) to 2005's Valiant. She appeared in person in a few movies as well, notably Jean Renoir's French Cancan (1954). My favorite Edith Piaf moment comes in Babe: Pig in the City (1998), when Babe accidentally destroys Mickey Rooney's magic show, setting the stage aflame in slow motion to the tune of "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien."
Like many artists who have touched the souls of millions, Piaf probably deserves a good movie about her life, and someone worthy of playing her. The latter has stepped up, in the form of actress Marion Cotillard, in the new film La Vie en rose. Cotillard has thus far appeared without much fanfare in Tim Burton's Big Fish (2003), Luc Besson's Taxi films, Jean-Pierre Jeunet's A Very Long Engagement (2004) and Ridley Scott's A Good Year (2006). But here she gives a vigorous, demanding performance that runs the gamut. She plays a teenager all the way up to Piaf's decrepit mid-40s (during which she looked like she was in her 70s). She captures Piaf's rawness and awkwardness, and refines it as time passes. She doesn't sing (Jil Aigrot provides the singing voice) but she throws her words to the rafters as if she were singing. Unless I miss my guess, the Academy will remember this performance come next February.
Edith Piaf Sings to Berlin
Filed under: Foreign Language », New Releases », Berlin », Cinematical Indie »
I just bought a ticket to Berlin. Actually, no, I didn't, but if money and time weren't an issue I'd be there in a heartbeat to see the world premiere of La Vie en Rose. This Edith Piaf biopic will open the Berlin International Film Festival on February 8.La Vie en Rose is titled after one of Piaf's most famous songs -- a song so famed, it's part of the Grammy's Hall of Fame. Edith Piaf was an extraordinary talent; by far one of my favorites singers of all time, her life was as interesting as her voice. She spent four years of her childhood blind and touring with her father in the circus. She performed in nightclubs, then became a French icon right before one of the world's most tumultuous times in history, World War II. She found herself in the middle of murder investigations, helped prisoners of war escape during the French Resistance and wrote the haunting, unforgettable lyrics for her still-sung ballads. Her talent and life experiences are all ingredients that could make for an incredible script.
Biopics can be difficult to make, though. What do you cut out of a lifetime? Martin Scorsese could have found a few things to get rid of while making his Howard Hughes biopic The Aviator -- he might have shaved off an hour from the three hour epic. Even Walk the Line, Johnny Cash's biopic -- and, like Piaf, an internationally respected musician -- was a little over two. Between the music, lovers, heroism and fame I'm not sure what Olivier Dahan will choose to omit. But no matter what he does, as long as "La Vie en Rose" and "La Via, L'Amour" and -- okay, I'll stop -- play throughout the film, I will be content.
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